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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23093854">The Outcast</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/DanjaBlue/pseuds/DanjaBlue'>DanjaBlue</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Trek: Picard</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Action, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Episode Related, S01E08 Broken Pieces, Speculation, Spoilers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 12:32:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,160</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23093854</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/DanjaBlue/pseuds/DanjaBlue</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Elnor is thrown out of the Qowat Milat monastery.  R&amp;R.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Elnor &amp; Seven of Nine</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>VASHTI</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Is Elnor here?” Seven asked the Mother Superior. She was standing at the gate of the Qowat Milat monastery.</p><p> </p><p>“He no longer lives here,” the Mother Superior replied.</p><p> </p><p>“Has he been here recently?”</p><p> </p><p>“He came by a couple of days ago,” the Mother Superior replied. “He is a man. He cannot be a member of our order.”</p><p> </p><p><em>They threw him out,</em> Seven thought. “Does he have any friends in town? Anyone who would know where he is?” she asked.</p><p> </p><p>“We are a cloistered order,” the Mother Superior replied. “He never ventured into town. He grew up behind our walls.”</p><p> </p><p>“Thank you, Sister,” said Seven.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p><em>He's nearby, </em>Seven thought as she walked through town. <em>People tend to gravitate towards the familiar.</em></p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Pretend he's a fugitive. He's just been thrown out of his childhood home. He's scared. He has few, if any, friends on Vashti.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>He needs shelter. He has little, if any money. He can't get transport off-world.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Seven walked to the edge of town. Mountains lay off in the distance.</p><p> </p><p><em>The Bulvat caves are in those mountains, </em>Seven thought. <em>He might be there.</em></p><p> </p><p>Seven pressed the button on her personal transporter and disappeared.</p><p> </p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>Seven reappeared at the entrance to a cave.</p><p> </p><p>Seven looked down onto the ground. A set of boot prints led into the cave.</p><p> </p><p><em>Boot prints</em><em> going in, none coming out,</em> Seven thought.</p><p> </p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Elnor!” Seven called out as she climbed through the cave entrance. <em>“ELNOR!”</em></p><p> </p><p>“Elnor, it's Seven! Are you here?” she called out to the darkness.</p><p> </p><p>Seven engaged her thermal vision and looked inside the cave. A glowing reddish-blue mass lay facedown on the floor below.</p><p> </p><p><em>Oh, no.</em> Seven thought. She disappeared and reappeared at the mass's side.</p><p> </p><p>Seven switched to her night vision. Elnor lay on the floor of the cave, unconscious.</p><p> </p><p><em>He's alive, but barely. </em>Seven thought. “Hang on, I'm getting you out of here,” she said. She and Elnor then disappeared.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>An unconscious Elnor laid on a biobed in the sickbay of Seven's Ranger ship.</p><p> </p><p>Seven stood next to a counter near Elnor's biobed. An IV bag filled with Borg nanoprobes sat on the counter. She programmed the nanoprobes using a scanner.</p><p> </p><p>“Computer, activate EMH,” Seven commanded.</p><p> </p><p>The EMH appeared next to Elnor's bed. She looked just as Seven did when she was on Voyager, her hair tied up in a bun. She wore a blue lab coat and a green jumpsuit.</p><p> </p><p>“Please state the nature of the medical emergency,” said the EMH.</p><p> </p><p>“The patient is lying on the biobed,” said Seven as she continued scanning the nanoprobes.</p><p> </p><p>The EMH scanned Elnor with a tricorder. “He's dead,” she said. “Massive internal hemorrhaging. Broken ribs.”</p><p> </p><p>“For now ...” Seven replied glibly.</p><p> </p><p>“I trust you have a plan to <em>RECTIFY</em> this ...” the EMH replied sarcastically.</p><p> </p><p>Seven handed the IV bag to the EMH. “Run an IV,” she commanded.</p><p> </p><p>The EMH hung the IV bag on a nearby pole. She inserted one end of an IV line into the bag and the other end into Elnor's wrist.</p><p> </p><p>“What happened to him?” the EMH asked.</p><p> </p><p>“I don't know,” Seven replied. “I found him on the floor inside one of the Bulvat Caves.</p><p> </p><p>"When he wakes up, I'll ask him.”</p><p> </p><p>“Don't you mean <em>IF </em>he wakes up?” the EMH asked.</p><p> </p><p>Seven looked at the EMH and said, “I meant <em>WHEN.</em>”</p><p> </p><p>“You and your nanoprobes,” the EMH sniffed.</p><p> </p><p>“They worked for Neelix,” said Seven.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A hour went by … and then two … and then three.</p><p> </p><p>Elnor lay on the biobed unconscious as Seven's nanoprobes coursed through the IV and into his veins.</p><p> </p><p>Seven sat in a chair next to Elnor's biobed. She had taken the liberty of removing Elnor's sword and placing it on the floor next to the biobed.</p><p> </p><p>“You're too late,” said the EMH. She then added with a sigh, “I'm a doctor, not a miracle worker.”</p><p> </p><p>All at once, the EMH's tricorder began beeping. The EMH passed the tricorder probe over Elnor.</p><p> </p><p>“Pulse … respiration,” said the EMH. “It's not much ... but it's there.”</p><p> </p><p>All at once, Elnor began hacking and coughing up blood. Seven gently stroked his forehead.</p><p> </p><p>“Elnor … Elnor,” Seven called out to him. “Can you hear me?”</p><p> </p><p>Elnor opened his eyes and looked around the room.</p><p> </p><p>“Seven?” Elnor asked as he glanced at the EMH, who was standing to the right of his bedside.</p><p> </p><p>“I'm over here,” Seven replied. She sat in a chair to Elnor's left. She then added, “She's the EMH.”</p><p> </p><p>“Where am I?” Elnor asked.</p><p> </p><p>“You're in sickbay,” Seven replied. “Aboard my ship.”</p><p> </p><p>“I'm shocked,” said the EMH, stunned.</p><p> </p><p>“I don't see why,” said Seven to the EMH. “I told you it worked on Neelix.”</p><p> </p><p>“What's that?” Elnor asked as he pointed to the hanging IV bag half-filled with inky black nanoprobes.</p><p> </p><p>“Do <em>YOU</em> want to tell him or should I?” the EMH asked.</p><p> </p><p>“Tell me <em>WHAT?</em>” Elnor asked. “What's going on?”</p><p> </p><p>Seven drew a breath and said, “They're nanoprobes. Borg nanoprobes.”</p><p> </p><p>“<em>NANOPROBES?” </em>Elnor cried in horror as reached for the IV. “Are you trying to <em>ASSIMILATE</em> me?”</p><p> </p><p>Seven threw herself across Elnor as the EMH shielded the IV in Elnor's wrist with her hand. “Calm down,” said Seven. “I'm not assimilating you.”</p><p> </p><p>“You're not?”</p><p> </p><p>“No,” said Seven. She then added, “I couldn't assimilate you even if I <em>WANTED</em> to. I'm not physically <em>CAPABLE</em> of it.</p><p> </p><p>“My capacity to assimilate was deactivated after I was captured by the U.S.S. Voyager.”</p><p> </p><p>Elnor lay back in the biobed, closed his eyes, and let out a breath.</p><p> </p><p>Seven rolled up the sleeve of Elnor's robe. “Look at your arm,” she commanded. “Do you see any implants?”</p><p> </p><p>Elnor looked as his bare arm. “No,” he replied.</p><p> </p><p>“And you're not going to, either,” said Seven. “They're programmed that way. I have no intention of assimilating you. I've <em>NEVER</em> had any intention of assimilating you.</p><p> </p><p>“I'm firing blanks,” Seven concluded dryly.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“What happened?” Seven asked. “Why were you in that cave?”</p><p> </p><p>“Fell,” Elnor replied. “Stepped off a drop-off.</p><p> </p><p>“It was night. Couldn't see.”</p><p> </p><p>“You still haven't answered my question,” said Seven. “Why were you in that cave?”</p><p> </p><p>“Nuns threw me out,” Elnor replied. “I'm a man. I'm not eligible to join the order.”</p><p> </p><p>“You're lucky it wasn't a crevasse,” said Seven. “You would've been falling for miles.” She then commanded the EMH, “Check his feet.”</p><p> </p><p>The EMH waved the probe of the tricorder over Elnor's feet. “Sprained ankle,” she said. “Fractured femur.</p><p> </p><p>“Nothing that can't be fixed.”</p><p> </p><p>“I don't know what to do,” said Elnor. “The only thing I'm good for is killing people."</p><p> </p><p>Tears began streaming down Elnor's face. “I was his protector,” he sobbed. “I failed.”</p><p> </p><p>“Who? Jean-Luc?”</p><p> </p><p>Elnor nodded.</p><p> </p><p>Seven shook her head. “You didn't fail,” she said. “He failed <em>YOU</em>.</p><p> </p><p>“He left you in a Borg cube. He left you in a dangerous situation. You could've been assimilated!”</p><p> </p><p>“I'll prepare a tranquilizer,” said the EMH.</p><p> </p><p>“Computer, Terminate EMH Program,” said Seven. The EMH disappeared.</p><p> </p><p>“This is the second time he's done this,” said Elnor.</p><p> </p><p>“When was the first time?” Seven asked.</p><p> </p><p>“Fifteen years ago,” Elnor replied. “I was a child.  He came to me … promised to take me to Earth with him.</p><p> </p><p>“He left … and I didn't see him again for another fifteen years.<br/><br/></p><p> </p><p>“How long are you going to allow him to treat you this way?” Seven asked. “He's ninety-four. He's not going to change.”</p><p> </p><p>“I don't expect you to understand,” said Elnor. “This is what I've been <em>bred</em> to do … and I'm a failure!</p><p> </p><p>“You probably grew in a nice, normal, family with parents who loved you … “</p><p> </p><p>Seven shook her head. “You couldn't be more wrong,” she said.</p><p> </p><p>“Huh?”</p><p> </p><p>“I was assimilated when I was a child,” Seven explained. “I was raised by the Borg. I was assimilated when I was seven years old. I spent two years in a Borg maturation chamber.</p><p> </p><p>“When I was nine years old, I had the body of a grown woman. At an age when most kids are playing with toys and riding bicycles, I was killing and assimilating.</p><p> </p><p>“You and I have a great deal in common. We were both raised to fight.</p><p> </p><p>“I haven't seen my parents in over twenty years,” Seven continued. “They're still with the Borg in the Delta Quadrant.”</p><p> </p><p>“How were you assimilated? If you don't mind my asking,” Elnor asked.</p><p> </p><p>“My parents were Borg researchers,” Seven replied. “We had a ship called the Raven. Long story short, my father got too close to a Borg cube for his own good.</p><p> </p><p>“The Borg raided our ship. My parents and I were assimilated. And the rest is history.</p><p> </p><p>“Jean-Luc ABANDONED you … <em>TWICE!</em>” Seven exclaimed. “What are the rules regarding abandonment?”</p><p> </p><p>“Jean-Luc and I share a sacred bond,” Elnor protested.</p><p> </p><p>“He doesn't see it that way … if he ever did,” Seven replied. “He's taking you for granted. He's putting your life in danger.</p><p> </p><p>“I'm glad I was able to pull you out of that cube. The next time … you might not be so lucky.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>BELTAN PRIME</em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>“Are you sure about this?”  Seven asked. She and Elnor were in orbit above the planet Beltan Prime.</p><p> </p><p>“I appreciate your help … and everything you've done for me,” said Elnor.  “I need to be on my way. I need to do this alone.”</p><p> </p><p>“I'm not sure you can … at least, not without someone getting killed,” said Seven.  “My offer still stands. I still want you as a partner.”</p><p> </p><p>“There are better people than me,” said Elnor.</p><p> </p><p>“There aren't many people who are willing to run into a fight,” said Seven. “I can train you to shoot.”</p><p> </p><p>“Just put me down in a village,” said Elnor.  “I appreciate your help.”</p><p> </p><p>Seven pressed a button on her holographic display and Elnor disappeared.  She then picked up a Rubik's Cube that she kept on a shelf underneath the dashboard.</p><p> </p><p>She sat back in her pilot's chair, played with the Rubik's Cube … and waited.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <em> VERNIK </em>
</p><p>
  <em> BELTAN PRIME </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>Elnor walked into a saloon.  He walked up to the bar and asked for a glass of water (he didn't have any money for anything alcoholic).</p><p> </p><p>Perkins, one of the regulars, sat at a nearby table surrounded by several empty beer mugs.  He was balding, reeking of beer, in his early sixties, and had a paunch. He wore a holstered phaser and a sheathed dagger around his waist (as remote as the village was, it was best to be armed).</p><p> </p><p>“Hey, pointy ears!”  Perkins called out to Elnor.  “We don't serve your kind around here.”</p><p> </p><p>“I don't want to talk to you,” said Elnor.</p><p> </p><p>“Leave him alone,” said the bartender.  “You're drunk.”</p><p> </p><p>“Just havin' a little fun,” Perkins drawled</p><p> </p><p>“You want me to call a Ranger?”  the bartender asked Perkins. “I don't need you bothering my customers.”</p><p> </p><p>“Call `em … call the fuckers,” Perkins cried out drunkenly.  “I'm drinkin' buddies with half of `em.”</p><p> </p><p>Perkins got up from the table, walked over to Elnor,  grabbed Elnor's shoulder, and slurred, “Nice robe.”</p><p> </p><p>Elnor shoved Perkins backwards and cried, “Back off!  I don't want to talk to you!”</p><p> </p><p>Perkins unsheathed his dagger and growled, “I don't care.”</p><p> </p><p>The bartender touched a Ranger key chain under the counter and initiated an SOS.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>The SOS appeared on the holographic display in Seven's ship.  She touched a button on the display and said, “Ranger Three responding.”</p><p> </p><p><em> A bar ... it figures</em>, Seven thought.  She then disappeared.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Seven ran inside the saloon just in time to see Elnor brandishing his sword in front of a drunken Perkins, who was waving his dagger at Elnor.</p><p> </p><p>“Friend, choose to live!”  cried Elnor.  </p><p> </p><p>Seven shoved Perkins backwards and ordered, “Put that thing away before you hurt someone!”  </p><p> </p><p>“You a Ranger?”  Perkins slurred.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, I'm a Ranger,” Seven replied.  She then added, “Both of you, put your weapons away.”</p><p> </p><p>“Don't get many <em> LADY </em> Rangers around these parts,” Perkins drawled.</p><p> </p><p>“You don't know who you're dealing with,” said Elnor.</p><p> </p><p>“Stay out of this.  Put your sword away,” Seven ordered Elnor.  Elnor put his sword back in its scabbard.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p><em> That was fast, </em> the bartender thought.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>“You wanna fight?”  Perkins asked Seven.  He was now thoroughly plastered.  </p><p> </p><p>“Not if I can help it,” Seven replied.  “I will if I have to, though.”</p><p> </p><p>"You protecting him from <em>ME?</em>"  Perkins asked with a smirk.</p><p> </p><p>"Actually, I'm protecting YOU ... from <em>HIM</em>," Seven replied, fully aware of Elnor's penchant for taking heads.</p><p> </p><p>Perkins swung the knife at Seven.  Seven blocked his arm, kicked him in the crotch, and delivered a Vulcan nerve pinch to his shoulder which caused him to collapse onto the floor, unconscious.</p><p> </p><p>Seven took the knife out of the unconscious Perkins’s hand and placed it back in the sheath on his belt.  She then produced a set of plastic handcuffs from her jacket pocket and cuffed his hands behind his back.</p><p> </p><p>She rolled up the sleeve of her jacket to reveal a smartphone in a holder that was strapped to her wrist.  She typed a few commands on her phone and Perkins disappeared.</p><p><br/>"Let's go," Seven said to Elnor.</p>
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